Bruno Cullen to resign; Sharks reinstate four staff sacked in early days of ASADA probe

Updated
Tue 30 Jul 2013, 8:41 AM AEST

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Cronulla offers apology to sacked staff members

ABC News

The Cronulla Sharks have done a backflip over the four staff it sacked in the early days of the ASADA anti-doping investigation.

The club has reinstated trainer Mark Noakes, it is in talks with axed football manager Darren Mooney about a possible return, and it has reached a settlement with long-time team doctor David Givney and physiotherapist Konrad Schultz, whose jobs have already been filled.

But the slated agreements with the four staffers have led to another casualty with interim CEO Bruno Cullen to resign from his role on Tuesday.

Cullen had been appointed by the NRL to run the Sharks in March in the wake of the ASADA investigation, the club having previously operated for some time without a chief executive.

He was initially only staying for three months.

Cronulla has also publicly retracted statements made by the club which might have caused damage to the reputations of the four men and offered a full apology for any such damage and the effect on their families.

"The board has determined that the actions which we have taken in respect of these staff are in the best interests of the club and we believe we have the support of our members in doing so," the Sharks board said in a statement.

"The staff in question categorically deny any circumstances of wrongdoing on their part or to their knowledge.

"We publicly retract statements made by the club which may have caused damage to the reputations of Dr David Givney, Konrad Schultz, Mark Noakes and Darren Mooney.

"We further offer a full apology to each of the four staff for any damage done to their reputations, for the effect that this process has had upon them and their families over the past three months.

"Dr Givney, Mr Schultz, Mr Noakes and Mr Mooney have provided years of loyal service to the Sharks club and players.

"For operational reasons the contracted positions for club doctor and physiotherapist have been taken up and so are not presently available for the balance of this season, but each of Dr Givney and Mr Schultz are invited to reapply for these positions when they open up again.

"The club has reached a settlement with Dr Givney and Mr Schultz, the terms of which are confidential.

"We are pleased to bring back within the club's operations trainer Mark Noakes, who will commence back with the team immediately."

The four staffers were stood down on March 8, two days before the Sharks kicked off their NRL season.

Head coach Shane Flanagan was also stood down but was reinstated on March 22.

The group was stood down pending a full management review and came as part of an inquiry conducted for the club by former ASADA chair Tricia Kavanagh following an ASADA investigation into sports science operations at the club in 2011.